Berlin

Berlin’s harsh winters can chill its residents to the bone, and the decrease in daylight hours can render the season truly grueling. To fend off the depression that the season can bring, Berliners find a respite in the city’s saunas and public bathhouses. The following are distinctive yet each carries Berlin’s own brand of cool:

This sauna draws droves of patrons, and perhaps its only drawback is the perennial crowds. Under a darkened dome inscribed with an oculus, spagoers bob in a warm salt pool as classical music, electronica or even whale sounds are piped in and a colorful light display is shown overhead.

At the Sultan, which is part traditional Turkish bath, a large marble relaxation area replaces the small wooden rooms usually found in a European sauna. Here, visitors fill metal bowls with water from hot- and cold-water spigots and pour it over their bodies. That is followed by a skin slough with a kese, or silk glove.

This remarkable floating pool is suspended over the Spree canal and bisects the city. In addition to its large cold pool and Finnish-style sauna, the Badeschiff also features a warm, amber-lighted lounge with a cocktail bar and pulsing electronic beats.